“The LORD will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.” Isaiah 58:11 ESV
Scorched places. Those two words are increasingly accurate in describing the current state of our world.
Smoke and flames rise as wildfires spread across the U.S. in the Pacific Northwest, California, Colorado, Minnesota, Florida, North Carolina, Arizona, and other states. Since the beginning of the year, 42,651 wildfires have burned more than 4.5 million acres here in the U.S. That statistic is mind-boggling! (from the National Interagency Fire Center 7/18)
This isn’t only a U.S. problem – not at all. Canada, Spain, France, Russia, parts of Africa, and other regions around the globe are experiencing an increasing number of wildfires.
While the causes of wildfire proliferation vary, the aftermath of each blaze is similar. Scorched places.
Years ago, we drove through what had been a densely forested mountainside on our way to Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood, in Oregon. The beautiful landscape that had been vibrant, lush, green, and teeming with wildlife in the recent past was burnt out. Charred, armless tree stumps stood vigil over the lifeless rubble that remained. Burnt out. Lifeless. A scorched place.
A testimony of desolation and desperation.
In Isaiah 58, God gave Isaiah a message to deliver to His wayward, sin-seeking children. “You pretend to seek Me. You go through the motions of fasting and prayer. You act like you are a righteous, God-honoring nation. But I see your heart. It’s an act—it’s all pretend. You want me to fix your situation, but you don’t want ME. Don’t expect a rescue, as long as your heart and mind are in this condition.” (Isa. 58:1-5 paraphrased summary)
The condition of Israel’s land at that time could be classified as scorched ground, but it was the burnt-out condition of their hearts that troubled God. The hearts of many in Israel were scorched places. Burnt-out. Charred. Dead.
In the second part of Chapter 58, God told His people that if they would follow Him with a surrendered heart and a selfless focus on serving those in need, then He would hear their cries for mercy. Then He would provide and meet the needs of their heart, body, mind, and soul. (Isa. 58:6-14)
In verse 11, God said that even in the scorched places, He would guide, guard, provide for, and strengthen His children. His fully committed followers would find renewal and refreshment even in the dry, barren rubble of the dead flames. They would flourish “like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.”
God doesn’t tell His people that He will take them out of the scorched places; He tells them that He will be with them in the scorched places. He will bless, and they will flourish despite the burnt-out condition of their circumstances.
Believer, we live in a world of scorched places. Yes, literally, we are surrounded by a sin-damaged world filled with brokenness of every sort.
More concerning is the sin-scorched hearts that fill our world – damaged people, broken and hurting.
God says He is with us in these dark days when the smoke from smoldering fires fills the air. He will refresh us. He will strengthen us.
He will make us “like a well-watered garden and a fresh spring of water that will never run dry.”
God will make each of us an oasis of refreshment and hope to those desperately in need of rescue from the scorched places of life. Those whose souls are parched and whose hearts are dry and brittle are longing for the fresh spring of living water that quenches all thirst and brings life everlasting.
If we surrender. If we give Him our all. He will use us to bring life, hope, and refreshment to the parched, dry souls wounded by the scorched places—broken, desperate people He will bring into your life. People who need to know the refreshing waters of hope, rescue, and salvation that only God provides.
Are you a flourishing, well-watered garden? Are you a breath of fresh air and an endless source of godly refreshment to those languishing in the scorched places?
“Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'” John 7:38 ESV